Adelaide United got its season back on track in emphatic fashion with a 5-1 thrashing of the Newcastle Jets at Hindmarsh Stadium.

United raced to a 3-0 lead inside the first 30 minutes on a rain-soaked pitch to bounce back after two losses in the opening rounds and kept surging despite Newcastle mounting a challenge just after half time.

Brazilian striker Fernando gave Adelaide a quick getaway when he volleyed home a Jason Spagnuolo free kick at the near post in the eighth minute, netting his first league goal this season.

A deluge just before the kick-off ensured a testing night for defences but United were determined to put their slow start to the season behind them and made it 2-0 in the 19th minute from another free kick.

Captain Ross Aloisi drove his 30-metre kick against the corner of the crossbar and 20-year-old defender Robert Cornthwaite looped a header from the rebound over a pack of players into the net for his first A-League goal.

Wily Chinese striker Shengqing Qu made the Jets pay again when he won a free kick just outside the penalty area in the 27th minute after being bundled over by defender Steven Old.

Qu drove the free kick low into the far corner for a 3-0 lead to open his goal account this season and give the depleted Jets more heartburn.

United didn't miss a beat in defence with Angelo Costanzo, slotting in for injured Socceroo Micky Valkanis, in commanding form in his 250th national league match.

The Jets' mustered some hope of coming back when striker Mark Bridge netted with an angled volley from 10 metres in the 52nd minute.

United pressed back with shots from Travis Dodd and defender Greg Owens going close but Qu snuffed out the Jets' hopes when he zipped through their defence in the 65th minute and saw his weak shot deflected past `keeper Ben Kennedy by defender Andrew Durante to make the score 4-1.

Former Celtic midfielder Bobby Petta impressed with a cameo role in the second half, setting up Fernando's second from close range with a delightful cross from the left to give United a 5-1 scoreline in the 73rd minute.

Durante copped the only caution of the match for a foul on United substitute Nathan Burns.

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